Waste concessionaire plans to form cooperative of Gurugram ragpickers

The ragpickers will be organised in teams of three and will be given a designated plot of land, on lease from the MCG, where waste can be segregated.

Ecogreen Energy, the Municipal Corporation of Gurugram’s concessionaire for waste management, has revealed plans to integrate the city’s network of ragpickers to help with the primary collection and segregation of waste. The company has formed a Ragpickers Co-operative for the purpose. It is expected to enrol 1,200 ragpickers by December 31.

Ragpickers at work at a dumping ground in Nathupur village, near DLF Phase 3, Gurugram. (Yogendra Kumar/HT PHOTO)

Gaurav Joshi, chief operating officer, Ecogreen, said, “The move promises to not just help them operate in a more organised manner, but also aid them monetarily. The ragpickers will now be allotted areas where they can work in teams of three. While they were making about ₹300 a day earlier, each team will be able to make about ₹1,200 per day under the new system,” Joshi said.

The teams will be given a designated plot of land, on lease from the MCG, where waste can be segregated.

They will also be provided with health insurance and corporation-issued ID cards. However, Joshi clarified they will be treated as partner entities and not as employees of the firm. “Putting them on our payroll would not make the exercise financially viable,” Joshi said. This means, however, that members of the co-operative will not receive benefits like bonuses, overtime pay, or a provident fund.

The idea to organise the city’s ragpickers in this manner was originally floated by Yashpal Yadav, commissioner, MCG, who said, “We hope that Ecogreen Energy will successfully fulfil the initiative. Each ragpicker will be given the responsibility of 250 houses. They will be solely responsible for waste collection in the designated area.” Yadav also added that this move would help protect ragpickers from harassment and conflict.

The company recently underwent a change of management after significant backlash from citizens and ward councillors, who alleged that the concessionaire was not effectively fulfilling its duties. A new CEO and managing director were appointed last month. An employee, who wished to remain anonymous, said the company had stayed off the radar on purpose after its spate of bad press, but was now making efforts to mend its reputation.